Dano72 Posted June 8, 2018 Report Share Posted June 8, 2018 Hi new member here. I have an old Leisure Bay Spa with a Balboa control box & heater. It is a 10" 4kw element that I am running at 120v - so it is 1kw. I am having issues with the GFCI cutting out. I replaced the element and it ran fine all night (the other day). In the morning it died and the temps were about 97°ish I 1 day fast shipped a Amazon element and switched it out last evening. This time it worked all night and when I got home it was dead again, also 97° ish My heater collection ohm readings are 15.3, 14.2, and 16.6. Would NEW elements go bad in less than 24hrs use? PLEASE HELP! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marco Pulone Posted June 8, 2018 Report Share Posted June 8, 2018 no, I do not believe new elements should go bad this fast. are there special 120V elements? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dano72 Posted June 8, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2018 Nothing special, I have a feeling it may be something in the board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cusser Posted June 8, 2018 Report Share Posted June 8, 2018 Are those the ohm readings after you removed them from the spa? Because those numbers sound good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dano72 Posted June 8, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2018 THey are out of the spa. SO, I have done a test (actually numerous tests). I removed the wires from the installed element - the rest of the system works this way. I then took one of the "spare" elements and connected it to the wires from the spa pack. The spare is setting on the ground on a piece of wood. I turned it on and the system functioned as it should. The element got hot fairly quickly and I turned it off before I started a fire. In summary, the element heats as it should and the system controls functions as it should - only when the element is not in the water tube. So once it is installed it trips immediately. Is there a ground missing or something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cusser Posted June 9, 2018 Report Share Posted June 9, 2018 Have you thought about replacing the GFCI ? Can you post a photo, or a link to the photo so we can see what it looks like? My spa element looks like this, and available at Home Depot. If mine had that issue I could temporarily set up outside the water chamber and run a jumper wire from the threaded part to the spa and see if it tripped immediately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jwyrick85 Posted June 14, 2018 Report Share Posted June 14, 2018 It could be a number of scenarios. I've seen water chemistry kill an alloy element in a matter of hours before. installation errors can also destroy an element(over tightening the bulk nut, or tightening the terminal stud without holding the lower part of the terminal.) if you're tripping the GFCI you are more than likely leaking current into the water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.